Parenteral injection devices



Dec. 19, 1967 G. MARSHALL 3,358,684

PARENTERAL INJECTION DEVICES Filed March 12, 1965 INVENTOR. 635e, L a MA PJHA L L BYIWVQ 4 7' TOPNE rs.

United States Patent 3,358,684 PARENTERAL INJECTION DEVICES Gerald Marshall, 1649 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118 Filed Mar. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 439,352 1 Claim. (Cl. 128-214.4)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is disclosed herein a parenteral injection device having a cannula constructed of material impervious to body fluids and a body tissue penetrating end associated therewith, said end affording entry of the cannula within the tissue dissolvable by physiological process leaving a portion of the cannula indwelled within the tissue.

My invention relates to parenteral injection devices and relates more particularly to improvements in such devices.

I have particularly devised improvements in form sustaining conduits or cannulas, said cannulas having a parenteral injection device associated therewith, a portion of said device being adapted to dissolve after the initial penetration of the same into body tissues leaving a portion of the cannula indwelled therein.

In the past, when it has been found necessary to administer parenteral solutions over a period of time, and to use an in-dwelling cannula, after the venipuncture is performed, the needle is either left in place with consequent danger of puncture of the delicate vein tissue and straps or flaps have been used to hold the needle in place, or the needle is removed by withdrawing the same from the cannula which is diflicult to accomplish without destruction of the cannula or damage to the vein tissue.

It is an object of my invention to provide a parenteral injection device which, after initial penetration of the device into a vein, or the like, will not puncture further surrounding tissue.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a parenteral injection device so constructed that a cannula associated therewith can be indwelled in a definite position within the body.

Another object of my invention is to construct a parenteral injection device of the type referred to which will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, being composed of but few parts, and relatively safe and highly efficient in use.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will become more readily apparent from a preview of the following drawings, in which drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a parenteral injection device and a portion of an associated cannula;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIGURE 1 showing a modification thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal view, partially in dotted lines, showing an injection needle and a portion of the cannula of FIGURE I inserted within a vein;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing the cannula insert within the vein, the parenteral injection portion thereof having dissolved.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, in all of which like parts are designated by like reference characters, in the forms of my invention disclosed in FIG- URES 1 to 4, inclusive, at I show a hollow tubular shaft, i.e. a cannula which is preferably formed of either flexible or non-flexible form sustaining material, e.g. metal or a sterile plastic, for example, which may be connected to administration equipment, such as fluid drip bottles (not shown) or to a syringe (not shown). A parenteral injection device or hollow needle 11 may be preformed of relatively hard gelatin or plastic or other synthetic material and either telescoped and press fit within a cannula 10, as shown in FIGURE 1, or telescoped and press fit over the cannula 10, as shown in FIGURE 2, the said needle thus forming, prior to its entry within the patients body, a substantially integral part of the cannula.

The cannula may also be provided with a parenteral injection device or needle of the type shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 by coating either the inner wall or the outer wall of an end of a cannula with a dissolvable synthetic plastic or gel or other synthetic material capable of being autoclaved, or sterilized, and for this purpose a high-melt, relatively hard gelatin or plastic may be employed. The needle must be dissolvable for the purpose of the invention and is of the material used, for example, in capsules adapted for internal use and/ or adapted to be absorbed by enzyme action or other physiological process. It is provided with an outer sharpened edge either beveled and open, as shown at 12, for insertion or puncture of the vein or other body tissue into which the cannula is to be indwelled or sharpened and provided with a closed end adapted to penetrate the tissue.

The cannula 10 and its associated penetrating device 11 then is adapted to be inserted within a vein V, as shown, or other body tissue and the cutting edge of the device penetrates the same, as shown in FIGURE 3, the cannula associated therewith follows the needle into the vein or other body tissue, the penetrating portion or needle 11 subsequently dissolves, being subsequently absorbed into the blood stream or other tissue fluids, leaving the said cannula in place. The needle might, for example, be constructed of a thiolated gelatin material as described in U.S. Letters Patent No. 3,106,483, dated October 8, 1963. The cannula 10 is provided with edges, as best shown in FIGURE 4, which are relatively blunt and not cutting edges and which will not puncture the vein or other body tissue and the cannula being form sustaining, the flow of fluid therethrough is unimpeded.

Although I have disclosed my invention in connection with preferred embodiments, I am aware that other modifications may be made therein, and other uses secured therefor without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention and the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A parenteral injection device comprising a form-sustaining cannula constructed of material impervious to body fluids, said cannula having a body tissue penetrating sharpened needle end portion associated therewith, the penetrating end portion of the cannula being composed of a dissolvable substance, said end after entry of a portion of the cannula within the tissue dissolvable by physiological process leaving a portion of the cannula indwelled within said tissue.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,072,303 3/1937 Hermann et al. 128335.5 FOREIGN PATENTS 98,234 10/ 1924 Austria. 591,509 8/1947 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES Ballinger et al., An Absorbable Intraluminal Tube for Operations Upon Coronary Arteries, from Surgery, vol. .55, #5, May 1964, pages 596-599.

DALTON L. TRULUCK, Primary Examiner. 

